Update for Nov. 15, 8:45 pm
A press release from U.S. Attorney Jenny A Durkan provides further details on today's DEA activity, clarifying that establishments raided were under investigation for failure to abide by state medical marijuana laws, large-scale distribution and money laundering.
"Each investigation (and resulting raid) targets commercial enterprises that purport to operate as 'medical' marijuana establishments but also fail to comply with applicable state law," the release said.
"These businesses attracted the attention of federal law enforcement for a number of reasons: their failure to abide by state medical marijuana guidelines; indications that they were distributing large amounts of drugs; and evidence they were laundering large amounts of money."
Here is the press release in its entirety:
Today, Drug Enforcement Administration agents and local law enforcement executed search warrants in four ongoing federal investigations in Western Washington relating to illegal drug distribution and other crimes in violation of federal law. Each of the investigations targets commercial enterprises that purport to operate as “medical” marijuana establishments but also fail to comply with applicable state law.
As set forth in the search warrant affidavits unsealed by the U.S. District Court today, these businesses attracted the attention of federal law enforcement for a number of reasons: their failure to abide by state medical marijuana guidelines; indications that they were distributing large amounts of drugs; and evidence they were laundering large amounts of money. Some of these marijuana stores were the subject of complaints from their surrounding communities as well as medical marijuana supporters, concerned about businesses operating outside the letter and spirit of state law. One operator was arrested this morning for violating the court ordered terms of his federal supervised release for a prior federal conviction.
The following is a statement from U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan on the ongoing investigations:
“The activities today and the ongoing investigations are targeted actions consistent with Department of Justice policy and guidelines. Our job is to enforce federal criminal laws. In doing so, we always prioritize and focus our resources. As we have previously stated, we will not prosecute truly ill people or their doctors who determine that marijuana is an appropriate medical treatment. However, state laws of compassion were never intended to protect brash criminal conduct that masquerades as medical treatment. In determining how to focus our drug enforcement resources, we will look at the true nature and scope of an enterprise, and its impact on the community. We will continue to target and investigate entities that are large scale commercial drug enterprises, or that threaten public safety in other ways. Sales to people who are not ill, particularly our youth, sales or grows in school zones, and the use of guns in connection with an enterprise all present a danger to our community.”
Update for Nov. 15, 6:30 pm
DEA Special Agent Matthew G. Barnes just released this statement regarding the raids:
It has never been our policy to target individuals with serious illnesses. However, there are those operating commercial storefronts cultivating, selling or distributing marijuana under the guise of state medical marijuana laws and exploiting such activities to satisfy their own personal greed. The DEA remains committed to the enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in all states.
The coordinated enforcement actions of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and our state and local law enforcement partners involve violations of both federal and state law.
The DEA will exercise its investigative authority to pursue criminal actions for any violation of federal law, when warranted. This includes investigating organizations or individuals that grow, manufacture or distribute any illegal drug to include marijuana, and those who rent or maintain a property to facilitate drug trafficking.
The Herald is working towards a clarification on this statement - specifically why the operations raided today were chosen.
Update for Nov. 15, 6:15 pm
While the official reasoning behind the raid of several medical marijuana collectives in the King, Thurston and Pierce counties has yet to be released from the DEA and U.S. Attorneys Office, John Davis – owner of the Northwest Patient Resource Center collective in West Seattle, organizer of Hempfest and a cannabis activist of 20 years – said the cannabis community shouldn’t jump to conclusions just yet on the nature of the raids.
“Just because these places were closed does not mean it is cannabis related,” Davis said.
While adding he is only speculating until the Feds release more information, Davis said the raids may have more to do with criminal activity than operating as a medical marijuana facility. A KOMO news interview with Thurston County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Greg Elwin seems to echo that sentiment. In the interview Elwin said five Thurston County collectives were raided for selling marijuana to people without medical authorization. He said similar investigations were underway in King and Pierce County.
Davis said additional issues may include tax evasion, money laundering and interstate transport of marijuana. He has heard rumors of medical marijuana from California being transported into Washington for sale to patients. That would qualify as interstate trafficking, Davis said, and would certainly be a federal issue.
To Davis’s knowledge, all three of the GAME Collective operations were shut down by the DEA, including their West Seattle location on California Ave S.W. Additional raids reported to Davis today include the Seattle Cannabis Co-op in Ballard and Rainier, The Healing Center, Evergreen Medical and Olympia Patient Resource Center in Olympia, The North End Club 420, Herbal Connection and TacomaCross in Tacoma and LaceyCross in Lacey.
Davis said he knows of at least 25 collectives in the area that voluntarily shut down after hearing about the raids and being advised by their lawyers to close up until the purpose of the raids is clear, or “waiting for the other shoe to drop.”
“I would caution people to wait and see what the statement is from the feds to see exactly what this is about before they start saying the cannabis community is under attack,” he said.
As for the Northwest Patient Resource Center, Davis said, “Right now I’m open and I plan on staying open.”
Original post
Federal DEA agents served a warrant on the GAME Collective Lounge in White Center on the afternoon of Nov. 15.
While the official list of dispensaries raided throughout Western Washington today has yet to be released by law enforcement, there are reports of multiple raids in Pierce and Thurston County along with at least two raids in Seattle.
DEA Special Agent Jodie Underwood was at the scene in White Center and said the GAME Collective raid was part of an “ongoing investigation,” with the promise of further details later today or tomorrow.
The GAME Collective Lounge, located at the corner of 16th Ave S.W. and S.W. 98th St., is a unique model for the state, allowing patients to purchase and use medicinal marijuana on site in a bar-like atmosphere without the alcohol.
Chris Cody, owner of the Herban Legends medical marijuana collective also on 16th Ave S.W. confirmed his business was not raided. There have not been any reports of West Seattle collectives being raided at this point, including the Northwest Patient Resource Center on Roxbury, Pharmaseed in Alki and a separate GAME Collective branch on California Ave S.W.
The raids are indicative of the growing tension between federal law, which states marijuana is illegal, and states that have voted for patient access to medical marijuana, including Washington.
This story will be updated as more information comes in.
